Spiritual Support Services

Pastoral Care and a number of other resources are available to ensure support for all persons' personal and spiritual wellbeing. We respect at all times each person’s religious tradition or belief system and their own sense of spirituality. We accompany people on their journey with empathy and a willingness to enter into and share persons’ strengths, hopes, and struggles.

Our Pastoral Care Practitioners come from a variety of belief groups and religious backgrounds and are a combination of staff and trained volunteers available to offer emotional and spiritual support to patients, families, carers and staff throughout the Canberra Hospital. They are available in person, either on-site or on-call through the hospital’s switchboard.

Members of a “General Team” also relate with persons who claim to have no specific religious background or affiliation but who appreciate visits or are seeking spiritual support.

A Multifaith sacred space located in Building 3, Level 2 is open to all and available 24 hours a day. It is specifically designed for private prayer and individual/group meditation.

It is also used as a Christian Chapel, Jewish Temple, and for daily prayers by Muslims, thus various religious services and group meditations are regularly held there Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays – as well as periodic memorial services and special celebrations conducted by belief or faith group leaders coordinated by the Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care Manager.

A schedule of all regular weekly worship services/times is available on notice boards near the Multifaith centre or by contacting the Pastoral Care office directly.

Bedside communion is available upon request. Anyone may request a friendly pastoral care visit or specific spiritual support at anytime, either personally or to make a referral on behalf of someone else. Prayer requests can also be written anonymously in a book in the Chapel and will be acknowledged there by one of our staff.

Contact us

Spiritual Support Services

Chaplains or Pastoral Care Practitioners are generally available on campus during work hours and designated representatives are on-call 24 hours a day. Contact Spiritual Support Services directly at (02) 6244 3849 or via the hospital’s switchboard (02) 6244 2222 to reach the on-call service.

Clinical Pastoral Education

CPE is offered through the Canberra and Region Centre for Spiritual Care and Clinical Pastoral Education which has its main office within the Canberra Hospital Pastoral Care Department. For more information about CPE training please contact (02) 6244 2261 or go to: Pastoral Care ACT.